ANGER

Trains. Today is not a good day to travel in the north of England. I am writing this on a Cross Country service to York currently between Durham and Darlington. Set to arrive home a whole 2 hours late. First there was the 95 minute delay on the train, waiting in the freezing cold Newcastle train station on a rainy Saturday morning, then once getting on the train, and battling for seats, it turns out the driver who was set to take over in Newcastle was on an also delayed service which lead to another 20 minute stationary wait in the station. Then news of the snow in Leeds which is set to delay the latter leg of journey home even more, never mind having to wait in York station for a connection, I dread to think for how long now, are just more blows, not to mention the dire overcrowding and deployment of a low number of carriages.

The reason for all this messing about and waiting, leading to every train from Newcastle to be either cancelled or massively delayed on a busy Saturday? Signalling problems. Really? It’s 2011 and a bit of trouble with some wiring can cause so much bother? Something needs to be put in place for when this happens, because it does happen regularly, surely there is a better system that can implemented, trains are rarely on time in the best of situations anyway.

And don’t get me started on the conductors. The depressing, easy job of walking up and down a train, checking tickets and occasionally having the pressure to open a door can give someone such a superiority complex, don’t get me wrong, there are some lovely friendly conductors who can actually do their job without making themselves look stupid, but that would not make for an interesting blog would it. Yesterday me and two friends were going to Newcastle, on the 18.35 train from Leeds, Greg, ACCIDENTLY booked on the 18.27 train, same destination, same journey length, and for the sake of getting a train 8 minutes later the conductor forced him to pay for another ticket, at the cost £28.50... How can that be justified?

You would think that we would have a better train system in this country by now, I mean there has been a major rail network in the UK for 161 years, and it still leaves a lot to be desired. Do yourself a favour... don’t bother with trains.